Snappers can't complete comeback in slugfest loss to Quad Cities

By Brad Star / Beloit Snappers | June 12, 2019 12:13 AM

The Snappers nearly made a miraculous comeback on Tuesday, but in the end fell to the River Bandits, 10-9, in a nearly four-hour fiasco of a game. Beloit and Quad Cities combined for 33 hits and four errors in the longest nine-inning game Beloit has played this season.

Every starter in both lineups had at least one hit on the night; just five players between the two lineups did not record at least one RBI.

Beloit struck first on Logan Farrar's two-run single in the bottom of the first inning. The River Bandits came storming back in the second, however, scoring five runs on RBI knocks from David Hensley, Michael Wielansky, Austin Dennis and Astros No. 28 prospect Ross Adolph. Ryan Gridley's RBI double in the second followed by a Skyler Weber RBI single in the third pulled the Snappers within a run, but Astros No. 25 prospect Jeremy Pena collected three RBIs between the fourth and fifth innings to extend Quad Cities' lead to 8-4.

The Snappers once again attempted to answer quickly, as Devin Foyle and Weber had back-to-back RBI groundouts in the bottom of the fifth. RBI hits from Ruben Castro and Astros No. 6 prospect Freudis Nova in the eighth inning restored the River Bandits' four-run lead, however.

A wild ninth inning in which Quad Cities reliever Riley Cabral struggled to throw strikes nearly drove the contest to extra innings. Cobie Vance's bases-loaded single cut the deficit to 10-7, and then Joseph Pena's line-drive single deflected off of Cabral and snuck into right field, allowing another two runs to score. Cabral rallied to make a fantastic glove flip to nab Vance at home on a Gridley fielder's choice, and then struck out Max Schuemann to snuff Beloit's comeback bid.

Snappers Opening Day starter Chase Cohen (4-6, 7.05 ERA) was roughed up on Tuesday, lasting just 3 2/3 innings. He allowed six runs on 11 hits- the most a Beloit starter has allowed in 2019- with two walks and four strikeouts. Jaimito Lebron and Charlie Cerny each gave up two runs apiece in relief, but Brandon Withers managed two shutout innings while Pena threw a scoreless frame in his first professional pitching appearance.

Notable offensive displays from the slugfest included a three-double performance from Gridley. Pena and Weber both went 2-for-5 with two RBIs for Beloit on Tuesday as well.

The Snappers will look to bounce back tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. CT. Reid Birlingmair (2-2, 3.12 ERA) goes for Beloit while the River Bandits counter with Cody Deason (3-2, 4.05 ERA).

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.